Swindon Town match report part one - first and second halves

SWINDON TOWN V REDS MATCH REPORT
So, what was it to be after two wins had restored some confidence and moved us up to within four points of the play-off places? Funny old league this time – look four points up and you are a breath away from the play-offs, but look five points down and you are staring at relegation.
The team news suggested that we had come for a point with a defensive-looking set-up, which seemed to approximate to 4-5-1 at least when we were defending, but which threw a couple of midfielders forward in Lalkovic and Pearson when we were attacking. With the likes of Winnall, Hourihane and Kiwomya on the bench, it looked as though Danny hoped to hold the high-flying Robins until the last twenty-minutes or so, when some of these could be brought on for ‘impact’ in search either of a win, or to salvage a draw. It seemed a logical choice and was not so far from working out for us.
The line-up shaped as follows:
Turnbull
Cranie M’Voto Ramage Nyatanga
Lalkovic Scowen Digby Pearson Smith
Waring
FIRST HALF
Swindon started surprisingly slowly and our formation was certainly preventing them getting in any meaningful attacks on our goal. There were a couple of half chances at either end, but nothing to get either set of fans on their feet. With their first attack of any significance, Swindon took the lead and it was eye-catching play down their left by Chelsea loanee John Swift, who looks a real prospect, but who will probably never grace Chelsea’s first team, which is criminal. If you want to find out where the future England internationals are, they are wasting away in Chelsea’s development teams, or being loaned out to lower division sides. Well – I could tell what Swift wanted to do, so it is a mystery why Cranie couldn’t. The situation was made for him to jink along the goal-line and cross, but Cranie did not cover that eventuality and, with wonderful balance and skill, young Swift crossed a ball which we got only half a contact on and the right back came steaming in to smash home from the right-hand edge of the penalty area. Shame to go behind, as we showed that we could confidently hold Swindon with our formation. It is pleasing to report that we did not panic and just kept playing, stepping up the tempo as we were able against a side who pressed and harried all over the pitch. Cranie’s pass gave Lalkovic a sight of goal and his shot had power, but was straight at the strangely slow Foderingham, who fumbled, but saved. The half ended with Swindon pressing into our penalty area and winning a soft penalty when Digby appeared to fell an in-rishing Swindon midfielder. Turnbull made an excellent save and I thought that was justice all round.
SECOND HALF
Two subs came on right at the start as Danny looked to get us back on terms. The subbing of Cranie seemed to be through injury. He was holding his side for much of the first half and this seemed to impair his speed against the pacy Tofollo. Hourihane moved to central-left midfield and Smith moved to right back, which might have been a problem, given that he is left-footed, but he did his bit fine. Jennings came on for Digby and played wide left. We were out of the blocks within two minutes, pressure on the Swindon defence allowing the ball to break to Hourihane. I thought that he had way over-hit his cross, which skimmed way in front of Waring, but had enough on it to be retrieved on the far right by Pearson, whose shot was, sadly, off target. Williams got through one-on-one with Turnbull, who made an outstanding save to deny him – top class, although it should have been 2-0. At 1-0, I could see us getting something from the game, but Swindon were on top most of the time in terms of possession and won the ball back quite frequently through the pressing and harrying game, which is their hall-mark. Truth is we could and should have equalised. I would have to see the incidents against to untangle exactly the sequence, which was hard to describe from real-time memory. I think it followed a corner – and, boy, do we present an aerial threat these days with the likes of Waring, M’Voto, Ramage and Nyatanga around. I think it was Hourihane who got a shot away, which the keeper did very well to parry off the line. The rebound came to Ramage and I was convinced he would score, but the header veered wide on the left-hand post. Bad luck, really. I noted that the BBC match data said, ‘Jennings – shot wide right.’ Let’s be clear – his shot actually was so far ‘wide right’ that it went into touch! Actually, I thought he chose the right option and it could have worked for him – don’t blame him – it was a snatch shot and could of gone anywhere, which is where it did go. Swindon continued to play their fast, one-touch and move game, which was so effective and they scored the goal which killed off any realistic chance that we could get a point. It was just a firm shot from the sub Gladwin, but it had enough on it to squirm under Turnbull and just over the line. Reminded me of David Ginola’s against Lars Leese at Spurs all those years ago. Shame for big Ross, who had kept us in the game with the penalty save and a couple of others as well. Two minutes’ added time brought no joy and we were down 2-0.

 

Good report . Thanks

 

Cheers for the report, but it was Digby and not Cranie for the first goal, and Ramage also hashed a clearance before Branco scored.

 

An interesting report, and not just because my view differs slightly. I think you're being a bit too kind to us though. In my eyes, we stood off and allowed Swindon the space and time they needed to win the game without really getting out of third gear. I also disagree that it was a logical choice to keep our attacking players on the bench and try to limit Swindon, rather than have a go at them. They were obviously a good side but I think that 10 minute spell in which we almost (and should have) scored shows that they were vulnerable at the back, and I'm disappointed that Wilson instead set us up to defend from the start. Not least because he's done that in most away games this season, and in quite a few home games as well.